By Tenzin Chokyi

DHARAMSALA, 2 July: Veteran Tibetan activist Lobsang Palden, widely known as Lobga Rangzen and president of the Tibetan National Congress (TNC), died after self-immolating outside the United Nations headquarters in New York on 2 July. He had left behind a final video message that was both a political testament and a plea for Tibetan unity and independence.

In a 6-minute-and-5-second broadcast on his Facebook account, Lobga Rangzen delivered what would become his final political testament before before carrying out the self-immolation outside UN headquarters. 

He praised Tibetans inside occupied Tibet for preserving their language, culture and national identity under Chinese rule, but directed his most urgent appeal to Tibetans in exile. He urged them to rise above divisions rooted in traditional provinces and religious sects, saying such differences had weakened the Tibetan cause.

“China attacks all...